Pile construction



Oct. 20,- 1942. P. SINNOCK PILE CONSTRUCTION Filed July 30, 1940 INTENTOR Pomeroy Sz'nnoclc BY 44 I whim .527

ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 20, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT orrics 2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to foundation pile construction, and in particular the invention is directed to and it is my principal object to provide a sectional initially telescoped but extensible pile unit; said unit including an exterior tubular metallic pile and an inner pile preferably of wood.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pile unit as above, so arranged that when the unit is driven to the limit of the exterior pile, such exterior pile is thereafter relieved of all the driving force and all strains are then applied to the inner or telescoped section to drive the latter from within said exterior pile downward into the earth.

An additional object of the invention is to embody in 'a pile unit including two piles initially telescoped together and adapted to be driven as a unit down to the limit of the exterior pile, means to prevent mud, earth, etc., from being forced between such telescoped piles at their lower ends, as said unit is being driven down to said limit; such means preferably comprising a taper on the inner pile whereby it wedges adjacent its lower end in the lower end of the exterior pile.

An other object of the invention is to provide a composite pile construction which includes an initially hollow sheet metal exterior pile, and a wooden pile extending therebelow; the upper end of the Wooden pile projecting a short distance into the lower end of the metal pile, and the latter being filled with concrete and a suitable key extending from the upper end of the inner pile into such concrete. If deemed necessary the concrete may be reinforced.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawing similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the sectional initially telescoped pile unit as partly driven, but before extension thereof; the exterior pile being shown in section adjacent its ends.

Figure 2 is an elevation illustrating the inner pile being driven into the earth from the exterior pile by means of a follower disposed in the latter.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional lar pile.

elevation illustrating the follower as engaged in driving relation with the upper end of the inner pile.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional elevation illustrating the bonding of the adj acent. or lapped ends of the piles when extended.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawing, my improved foundation pile construction comprises an exterior tubular pile I of constant diameter throughout; such tubular pile being preferably formed from relatively light weight sheet metal. A Wooden pile 2 is initially telescoped into the tubular pile I; such wooden pile being tapered, and the taper being such that the lower end 3 of tubular pile I wedges with pile 2 a short distance above the lower end 4 of the latter. Such lower end or butt 4 of wooden pile 2 is of substantially the same diameter as the lower end 3 of tubular pile I whereby when the unit is driven, as hereinafter described, said butt of pile 2 opens a path for light weight sheet metal tubular pile I.

Wooden pile 2 is of such length that when telescoped into pile I as far as possible, the upper end 5 of pile 2 projects some distance above the upper end 6 of pile I.

When assembled as above described, the pile unit is ready for driving. As upper end or tip 5 of pile 2 projects above upper end 6 of pile I, a chain may be connected about said upper end 5 to lift the pile unit into the leads of the pile driver. When secured in the leads of the pile driver, a driving head 'I is mounted on the pile unit, such head having a bore 8 into which the upper end 5 of pile 2 seats, and being formed with an annular downwardly facing shoulder 9 which engages the upper end B of pile I when the head is engaging the upper end 5 of pile 2 in driving relation.

Thereafter, upon actuation of the hammer of the pile driver, the pile unit is driven as such into the ground to the limit of the exterior tubu- As the driving force imparted to head I is applied both 'to piles I and 2, the exterior tubular pile I may be of relatively light weight sheet metal, thus reducing initial cost, handling charges, etc.

As pile 2 is tapered and wedges with the lower end 3 of pile I, the telescoped unit may be driven into the earth to the limit of pile I without mud, earth, etc., being forced therebetween, and which is undesirable.

After the telescoped unit has been driven down to the limit of pile I, driving head I is removed, and a follower I0 engaged with the upper end 5 of pile 2; said follower preferably being tubular but formed with a solid driving head I! at its lower end, the follower and included driving head being of a lesser diameter than the internal diameter of pile l.

The driving head ll of follower H3 is fixed with a depending sleeve I2 which engages about the upper end 5 of pile 2 between said end and the adjacent portion of pile I. Before the driving head H and sleeve I2 are engaged with the upper end of pile 2, rope grommets it are disposed between upper end 5 of pile 2 and pile I.

When the driving force is applied to follower l and its driving head H, the pile 2 is extended downward and driven into the earth from pile l the sleeve l2 driving the grommets i3 ahead thereof. When the pile 2 has been driven downward into the earth until the upper end 5 is adjacent the lower end of pile l and grommets 13 are adjacent the lower end 3 of pile l, the follower is withdrawn. Thereafter the pile l is filled with concrete.

As the pile 2 is tapered, there is a substantial space S between the upper end 5 of pile 2 and the lower end portion of pile I, and this space fills with concrete, thus forming a strong bond between the respective piles; the grommets if; preventing the initially fluid concrete from escaping from the lower end of pile l and also preventing foreign matter from gaining access to said pile prior to pouring of the concrete.

If desired, a projecting pin or key l5 may be driven into the upper end of pile 2 before the same is engaged and driven downward by the follower, and in such event the follower is provided with a central bore it into which the projecting end of the pin seats while the driving head ll of the follower is in driving position. When such key is employed, it serves as an additional bond between upper end 5 of pile 2 and the concrete, and particularly bonds the assembly against lateral shearing.

One of the main advantages of my improved foundation pile construction is that a relatively long pile with maximum skin friction can be driven without the necessity of driving against the total of such skin friction; the driving force required to seat my pile unit being only that required to drive any one section thereof, as will be obvious. Furthermore, in driving my pile unit, the driving force is not applied to any connection or joint between't'wo pile units, and as is now customary in connection with sectional pile units wherein one section is driven, the next connected thereto, and thereafter both driven,

often resulting in failure at the point of connection of such sections. I thus entirely overcome this objection to sectional pile construction. With my improved pile construction, I

can substantially increase the bearing power of the resulting pile without attendant increase in driving power which would otherwise be required to set the pile, and in addition pilesections of materially less initial strength can be employed to produce a sectional pile at least equally as effective as those sectional piles now available.

While I have described my invention as being embodied in an initially telescoped but extensible pile unit which embodies two piles, it is obvious that the invention may be employed in connection with a pile unit including two or more piles, and with inner piles which may either be solid or tubular.

The grommets or sealing elements 53 may be secured to the pile 2 whereby to prevent such grommets or sealing elements from blowing out under pressure from below and which, under some conditions, might occur when the follower is withdrawn and before pouring of the concrete.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A pile unit and driving means therefor, the unit comprising an external tubular pile section, an internal pile section initially telescoped into the external section, said sections being adapted to be driven simultaneously until the external section is fully driven; a compressible sealing grommet fitted about the internal section adjacent its upper end and engaging the external section, and means to then drive the internal section relative to the external section and at the same time engage and advance the grommet.

2. A pile unit and driving means therefor, the

unit comprising an external tubular pile section and an internal pile section initially telescoped into the external section, the sections being adapted to be driven simultaneously until the external section is fully driven; a compressible sealing gasket fitted about the internal section adjacent its upper end and engaging the external section; the driving means comprising a driving head engaging the top of the internal section and a sleeve rigid with and depending fro-m the head about said section and engaging the grommet.

POMEROY SINNOCKL 

